Spray Paint the Babies!

I've discovered a number of things being here in the South.  Most things are funny and some are a bit disturbing (like they celebrate Robert E. Lee's birthday on the same day as Martin Luther King's holiday--no kidding, it's on the school calendar).   The funniest thing though is that I've accidentally discovered the classic Alabama pickup line, which involves the words "That sure is a big truck!"  Yes, everytime I  drive our Ford F-450 duelie-diesel truck it is inevitable that some man will approach me in a parking lot and comment on our truck, usually inquiring if I was the one who picked it out or what size object am I hauling with it.  When I answer, I see the look of longing in these mens' eyes as if to say , "woman, I wish you were mine so I could take your truck to a NASCAR race!"  I know I should feel a bit flattered by the attention, however I'm more or less insulted that my truck is considered prettier than me. 

One great thing about being here at school is that they do a lot of family activites on base.  Most recently we had Fall Fest at school.  Many of the classrooms decorated for Halloween and handed out candy, there was a pumpkin patch and free food.  Everyone was in costume and that was really great!  I had wanted to dress us all up as the Flintstone Family, but lacking time and the $120 it would have cost for costumes, I decided we would wear clothes we had.  Kai and "Lonnie" went in their kilts, I went in my celtic maid outfit, and the twins went in their Japanese fancy dress.  Our story was that we were a Scottish family and when "Lonnie" went sailing to Asia he brought me back little Japanese babies.  The story worked, or people didn't care.  It doesn't matter.  What is cool is that we decided to make it more believable that we would spray the twins' hair black.  I know, what was I thinking standing in Walmart with the can of spray paint in my hand?  I was thinking that if we could pull this off it would be awesome!  Or extremely messy.  Either way, there would be a result.

We got everyone dressed and I got Ayla outside for her spray.  She did OK.  We waited to spray Orion until we got to the festival, thinking that he might rub his head all over the truck.  Well, we got half his head done in the parking lot when he escaped and took off running!  I chased him, Kai was running in the opposite direction, and Ayla was just standing there watching the madness.  We finally nabbed Orion and got him totally sprayed.  I'm proud to say that nothing was stained and many people didn't even recognize the twins!  Oh, and the best part is that our kiddos don't understand the whole 'trick or treat' concept, so we avoid all the candy!